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W. 1. MUBDOCK.

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l 7l A Patented May 6, 1919.

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W. 1. MURDOCK.

AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED TORPED.

APPLICATION Hummm/16,1911.

1,303,105. Patented May. 6, 1919.

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AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16. 191?.

Patented Muy (i, 1919.

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VUNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM J'. MURDOCK, 0F CLINTON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF '10 HULBEBT M.

FERGUSON, 0F CLINTON, INDIANA.

AUTOMATICALLY-CONTROLLED TORPEDO.

To all 'whom t may concern: f

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. MURDocK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clinton, Vermilion county, and State of Indiana, have invented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically-Controlled Torpedoes, of whichl vanes 11 for vertlcal steering, and a vertithe following is a specification.

My said invention relates to projectiles or torpedoes and automatic controlling means therefor, and consists in the combinations and arrangements of` elements hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the accompanying claims.

The invention has for its lpurpose to provide a flying torpedo having means for pro lling the same through the air and equlpped with apparatus controllable, through sound waves, to automatically steer or direct the torpedo directly to the ob-ject to be destroyed.

The invention has for its further purpose to provide an aerial torpedo of this type wherein the automatic steering control is inoperative at the time of launching and for an appreciable period of its trajectory, but which is automatically rendered opera'- tive for steering by sound control when it has traversed a predetermined distance.

It is contemplated to construct the aerial torpedo after the manner of an aeroplane, and having means for readily converting the same-into a hydroplane or hydro-aeroplane.

The invention is disclosed by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the torpedo equipped as a hydro-aeroplane.

Fig. 2`is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof, with parts in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a similar view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. 5, a like view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the gear-control, and

Fig. 7 is a view of the wiring diagram. Referring to the construction in further detail and with like reference characters indicating corresponding parts, the flying torpedo consists of a body portion 8 from which project lateral planes 9 of the usual Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application led July 16, 1917. Serial No. 180,791.

Jaeroplane construction, and it will be obvious that the machine may be built as a monoplane, .biplane or triplane, as preferred.

The -body portion 8 has the usual rearwardly-extending portion 10, and near the end of `said frame is a pair of horizontal vof the body portion, and is `connected to be driven from the series of storagebatteries 17 arranged as shown. A tubular shaft 18 extends from the armature of the motor 15 and has mounted thereon the propeller 19, and said shaft is journaled in suitable bear- .ings in the brackets 20, as shown (see .Fig 2).

The propeller shaft 18 has a rearward extension 21 on which is mounted a screw gear 22 that meshes with a worm gear 23 on the shaft 24 (see Figs. 2 and 6), and said shaft is journaled in a bracket arm 25 mounted in the body 8. A pinion 26 on the shaft 24 meshes with a relatively larger pinion 27 on the shaft 28 journaled ,in the bracket 25, and a drum 29, mounted on said shaft, has a cord 30 wound thereon and operable for throwin the machine under automatic control. lT e train of gearing from the shaft 21 to the drum 29 is proportioned and arranged to derive a very small movement of the cord 30 for an appreciably great number of revolutions of the propeller 19, as will be understood.

The automatic control for directing' the course of the machine, whether it be acting as an aeroplane, hydro-plane or l1ydro-aero plane, consists of a plurality of series of micro-phones mounted in angular relation about the machine, whereby to be influenced by sound waves coming from any direction. The upper series of micro-phones 31 are suitably mounted on a base piece 32 supported by brackets 33 on the'top of the body 8, a lower series of micro-phones -34 are similarly mounted on the bracket arms 35 at the bottom of the machine, and a side series of micro-phones 36 are located at the 1 and 2).

The electric control associated with the series of micro-phones for automatically 5 steering the machine is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, and consists of the propelling motor 15, storage battery 17 and conductors 37 and 38 having a voltmeter 39, and a rheostat 40 in said conductors, respectively. The several micro-phones (31, 34 and 36) are connected by conductors 41 and 42 to operate the relays 43 and 44, respectively, which in turn operate the magnets 45 and 46, and said magnets (45 and 46) are contained l5 separately in casings 47, mounted on the panel 48 within the body 8 of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2. Said magnets are adapted to energize armatures 49 (see iFlg. 5) that are respectively connected to the cords or wires 13 and 14 for manipulating the rudders 11 and l2, that is the pair of magnets 46 operate to move the rudder 12 to one side or the other, and in like manner the pair of magnets 45 operate todeflect the vanes 11 for vertical steerin It will therefre be seen that as the. several diaphragms of the micro-phones are vibrated,

that the ,magnets 45 and 46 will be correspondingly actuated and thereby the rudders `11 and 12 moved to steer the torpedo directly toward the sound producer and which, in the present instance, would be a `hostile aeroplane, dirigible or vessel on the surface of the water. D g l The explosive charge is contained in a suitable shell or casing 50 (see Figs. 2 and.

3), and is adapted to be fired by means of a switch 51 mounted onthe'casing 50, and normally held in open position by a spring 52.

A firing pin or head 53 is slidably mounted in the hollow propeller shaft 18, and has its inner end 54 in slight4 contact with the switch 51, but normally held inoperative by the spring 55 fitted on the forward end of the rod 53 and bearing against the, contacting head or member 56.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the member 56 strikes anv object, thatthe springs 52 and 55 will be compressed and the switch 57 closed to ignite the charge in the shell or casing 50, and produce the desired explosion.

It is proposed -to keep open the circuit which fires the torpedo until the machine has traversed an appreciable portion of its trajectory for the purposes'of safety at such i times as when the machine is being made ready for launching 'and for similar handling. To this end the gearing train shown in Fig. 6 is employed, and the cord 30 thereof Winds upon a second and smaller reel 57 that is mounted on a pivoted arm 58 having an extended portion 59 forming the movable part of a switch 60 (see Fig. 7). By this arrangement 'the switch 60 will. be` closed when the predetermined length of the cord o1' wire 30 is taken up, and suoli closing of the switch will complete a circuit through the primary coil 61 generated from the lowvoltage battery 62. rThe spark coil 63 which 70 operates the spark gap 64 ignites the charge when the firing pin 54 closes the' switch 51 and completes the circuit, as will be understood. The device, as heretofore stated, is adapted to be used on an aeroplane, but equally as well on a hydro-aeroplane. In the l latter instance, a pontoon 65 is provided with a suitable supporting frame 66 for detachable connection with the body portion 8 of the machine, and by this provision the vehicle may travel on the surface of the water and be automatically directed toward the object to be destroyed.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art `may vary the details of construction and arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features eX- cept as may be required by the claims. i

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an automatically controlled torpedo the combination of an aeroplane carrying an explosive. charge, electrically operated means for steering theaeroplane, means for automatically controlling said electrical means through sound waves, said controlling means being initially inoperative, a winding cord actuated by the aeroplane motor for rendering said controlling means operative after a pre-determined period, and means for igniting the explosive charge through impact, substantially as set forth.

2. kIn an automatically controlled torpedo the combination of an aeroplane carryin an explosive charge, electrically operated means for steering the aeroplane comprising a plurality of electro-magnets, a plurality of micro-phones associated with said Y magnets for controlling the same, actuated by the aeroplanemotor, said controlling. means being initially inoperative, a winding 'cord' actuated by the aeroplane motor for rendering said controlling means operative after a pre-determined period, and means for ignitiing the explosive charge through impact, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatically controlled torpedo the combination of an aeroplane carrying an explosive charge, electrically operated means for steering the aeroplane comprising a plurality of electro-magnets, a plurality of micro-phones associated with said magnets for operating the same, means for electrically igniting the explosive charge, means for closing a circuit through the ignition system through impact, said microphones being initially inoperative, and a winding cord actuated by thev aeroplane motor for renderin said micro-phones operative after a preetermined periodfor steering the aeroplane, an automatic control for sald steering means, means for electrically igniting the explosive charge comprisinga switch, a rod slidably mounted in said propeller shaft adapted to close said switch through impact, said controlling means andthe ignition system being initially inoperative, a winding cord actuated by the aeroplane motor for rendering said controlling means and the ignition system operative after a pre-determinedperio'd, lsubstantially as set forth. y

5. In an automatically controlled torpedo the combination of an aeroplane carrying an explosive charge, and having a tubular propeller shaft, electrically operated means for steering the aeroplane, a plurality of micro-phones for automatically controlling said electrical steering means, means for electrically igniting the explosive charge comprising a switch, a rod slidably mounted in said propeller shaft adapted to close said switch through impact, said controlling means and the ignition system being` initially inoperative, and a winding cord actuated by the propeller shaft for rendering said controlling means and the ignition system operative after a pre-determined period, substantially as set forth.

. 6. In an automatically controlled torpedo the combination of an aeroplane carrying an explosive charge, and having a propeller shaft, an electrically operated steering control comprisinga switch, a transmission gearing connected' to be operated by the propeller shaft, a winding cord and reel oonnection between said earing'and the switch at a predetermined period to establish a circuit for the automatic steering control mechanism, and

means for ignitingl the explosive charge throulgh impact as set forth. Y

7. n an automatically controlled torpedo l the combination of a vehicle carrying an 4explosive charge, means for propelling the vehicle comprising a propellerv bearing a fshaft,v electrical means for igniting the explosive charge comp-rising a switch, elec- ,tricallyoperated means for steering the vehicle comprising a switch, an automatic control for said steering means, a transmission gearing connected to lbe operated by the propeller shaft, a reel and cord connection between said gearing andthe switch of said electrical steering means for closing said switch at a predetermined period to estab- -lish a circuit forthe steering control mechanism, and means for closing the switch of the ignition system through contact, substantially as set forth.

8. In an automatically controlled torpedo the combination of a hydro-aeroplane carrying an explosive charge, means for propelling the hydro aeroplane, electrical means fori iting the explosive charge on impact, electrically operated means for steering the vehicle, bracket arms mounted on the upper and under surfaces of the aeroplane body, a plurality of micro-phones mounted on said bracket arms and having controlling connections withsaid electrical steering means, said controlling means and the ignition means being inoperative, and a winding cord actuated by the aeroplane motor for rendering said controlling means `and the ignition means operative after a period, substantially as set WILLIAM J. MURDOCK. Witnesses:

MARGARET R. DAvIs, F. L. NICHOLS. 

